The BSP chief has urged the Election Commission to make note of the party’s remarks on the controversial temple, saying it violated the Model Code of Conduct.

Bahujan Samajwadi Party chief Mayawati on Thursday accused the Bharatiya Janta Party of “raking up religious issues” by bringing up the Ram mandir controversy ahead of the elections in Uttar Pradesh. “They know that the construction of the Ram temple is not possible as the matter is still pending in the Supreme Court and yet, attaching the issue with government formation is an attempt to mislead the people,” she said.

Demanding action action the party, Mayawati has urged Chief Election Commissioner Nasim Zaidi to take cognisance of the statements made by BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit chief Keshav Prasad Maurya as they were “in violation of the Model Code of Conduct as well as Supreme Court orders”, PTI reported.

On Tuesday, Maurya had said that the Ram mandir will be built in Ayodhya if his party secured a full majority in the Assembly elections. The BJP leader’s statement was a reiteration of the party’s 2014 campaign promise to build the Ram temple in Ayodhya where the Babri Masjid was demolished in 1992.

Continuing her attack on the BJP, Mayawati alleged that the demonetisation drive was a tactic to “hide their failure” as the party had “not been able to fulfil even one-fourth of its promises” nearly three years into its term. “The people are angry with the BJP and will give a befitting reply in the Assembly polls,” she said, accusing the party of “using religion to grab power”.

The Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh will be held in seven phases, starting from February 11.